I took a break!!

And now I'm taking another one...only this time, it's from school. Since I've last written I feel like life went from crazy, to CRAZY!! Having three boys moving around our little house has kept life exciting for sure! Rygby (a phenomenal little boy who brings joy every day) does NOT like to sleep well...in fact he woke up and I had to stop typing this! I still have faith that someday he will in fact sleep through the night. Some.....day....

So! I started school back up last August, after my "maternity leave", and things were going well and then everyone started to get sick (just cycling through colds/viruses) nothing major but enough to keep me up even longer than I was already doing to get through my classes.They never got sick at the same time but just kept going, one after the other. THEN. We came back from Christmas in Oregon (a horrendously long trip with three kids, at times) and all the kids got sick, I was even more exhausted and sleeping less than I already had been, drinking five cups of coffee a day and trying desperately to remember whatever the heck it was that my eyes had scanned across five seconds earlier! Needless to say my school work was suffering and my lovely teacher was noticing. (Corban is fabulous and you take one or two classes for five weeks at a time.) I managed, by the grace of God, to muddle through the remainder of those classes and came to a sanity saving conclusion that a break was needed.

Here I am. On my break. Exhausted because two are still sick, but completely relieved because I don't have to write a paper tonight. I have been reading for fun! Crazy! I know. At the beginning of March I started reading through First Thessalonians every day (lots of amazing things happening there, will share at a later date) and will continue to do that through the end of March, it coincides with my ladies Bible study. I've been pretty lazy, not going to lie, and have simply been reveling in the fact that I don't have homework. I don't HAVE to read, I get to. Do not get me wrong! I LOVE my program, I find what I'm learning about to be fascinating and am SO excited to use all of my tools and knowledge someday when I grow up. ;) But, I was having a hard time functioning in a healthy manner and was desperate for a moment to catch up on life.

Rygby is about to turn one in less than a month! I have no idea how that happened. Ryne is staring down kindergarten and can hardly wait, some days I feel the same way! Dude is like his mom and LOVES to be around people, I unfortunately cannot provide that 90% of the time. We both love Sunday and Tuesday's because we get to go to church and Bible study! Rytan is as funny as they come and a riot to watch around the house.

During my break from school (I start back up in August) I'm going to be working on a mission statement, I have been talking about doing one for years and am finally going to do it. I am 31 years old (WHAT?!?!), have been married for TEN years (PRAISE GOD!!), have three amazing little men (an answer to prayers that had been going on for well over ten years), and am feeling more settled in who I am, who I am becoming. The woman that God has made me to be. There is a very good chance that you (whoever you might be) will see a few drafts of that mission statement on here. It is going to include where I feel God is calling me to in a professional sense, who I am as a wife and mom, where I hope to see myself in the next six months, year, five years, ten years, physical expectations (hoping to complete a half marathon later this year....), and more. I love writing things down. My husband can attest to you that I am NOT the most organized person but I love my pens (purple ballpoint) and journals.

As much as this started out to share our lives, as a break from facebook..., this will very much be turning into my own little journey. Especially between now and August, when I get to go back to school. For now!! I want to leave you with a verse that really hit home today, as a wife, mom and friend, I want to live this verse out:

We exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:12

(Emphasis my own)

I want to live a life worthy of God. Worthy of the calling he has placed on my life. In turn I want to encourage you to do the same. I want to encourage you to turn to him in all aspects of your life (pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17) and encourage you to seek out people in your life that are going to actively push you towards him. I do believe God has made me to be an encourager, so think of me as your personal cheer leader and please let me know how I can pray for you! Encourage you! Or simply sit back and listen. I am here and I am ready.